Immunopathologic characterization of naturally acquired Trypanosoma cruzi infection and cardiac sequalae in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis).

Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease, is endemic in south Texas due to the abundant vector and wild small mammalian reservoir populations. This situation predisposes nonhuman primate colonies exposed to outdoor housing to infection from ingestion or bite of triatomid insects. Using a T. cruzi-specific real-time PCR and Trypanosome spp.-specific ELISA, we revealed a prevalence rate of 8.5% in a colony of outdoor-housed cynomolgus macaques. By using a discriminating kinetoplastid minicircle PCR, we eliminated the possibility of mixed prevalence with nonpathogenic trypanosomes and showed the ELISA results were specific for T. cruzi. In this study, we found an inverse relationship between antibody titers and circulating parasite load. Also, 23% of T. cruzi IgG ELISA-positive macaques were negative by real-time PCR. Furthermore, in a subset of infected macaques, cardiac tissue was infiltrated by inflammatory mononuclear cells and contained T. cruzi genomic and kinetoplast DNA despite lacking microscopic evidence of discrete parasite stages. In addition, 19% of the infected macaques had titers for cardiac troponin I autoantibody, which could contribute to autoimmune myocarditis or interfere with circulating troponin I measurements. These findings indicate the possibility of T. cruzi to interfere with the assessment of cardiac safety signals in preclinical toxicology and safety pharmacology studies and the necessity for prestudy screening for T. cruzi in outdoor-housed nonhuman primates from endemic areas.

Impact of Mrp2 on the biliary excretion and intestinal absorption of furosemide, probenecid, and methotrexate using Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats.

PURPOSE: This study assesses the impact of rat multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2) on the biliary excretion and oral absorption of furosemide, probenecid, and methotrexate using Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats (EHBR). METHODS: To assess Mrp2-mediated biliary excretion, rats received a 2-h intravenous infusion of furosemide, probenecid, or methotrexate. Blood and bile samples were collected at specified intervals. To assess Mrp2's impact on oral absorption, rats received furosemide, probenecid, or methotrexate orally at 5 mg/kg. Jugular and portal blood samples were obtained at timed intervals. All samples were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated using WinNonlin and standard pharmacokinetic equations. RESULTS: Thirty seven- and 39-fold reductions in biliary clearance were observed in EHBR as compared to control rats for probenecid and methotrexate, respectively. Biliary clearance was comparable between EHBR and control rats for furosemide. In all cases, no significant difference in absorption was observed between EHBR and control rats. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence that Mrp2 mediates the biliary excretion of probenecid but not furosemide. Additionally, Mrp2 apparently has a less profound impact on intestinal absorption than biliary excretion of its substrates. Furthermore, alteration in systemic clearance in EHBR indicates that a potential compensatory mechanism may occur in EHBR.